So it goes...

I've skipped a few weeks to write a new blog, not exactly sure why, but I have a sneaking suspicion that I've run out of epiphanies. Not that every update blog should house some sort of weekly or monthly realization - maybe ending all these ditties with a dumb joke would also provide enough motivation for readers to reach the end - I don't know.

Then again, my analytical mind appreciates when everything has reason and purpose, makes accomplishing whatever it is more worthwhile. But, an update blog has been past due for a couple weeks now...so I'm going to squeeze in the past monthly activities, post some new pictures and attempt a few quirky comments along the way...if you reach the end - perhaps a dumb joke will be waiting.

To begin, the above photo was taken at a vegan festival here in Verona - shocking I know - Northern Italians that are vegan?? We were surprised as well, the turn out was actually descent and the food was incredible. Munday's choice to become vegan has made him extremely happy and us girls at the house have really benefitted from it. Maria (our roommate) and I, are still meat eaters, but the vegan diet, when properly followed, is incredible.

And to be frank, or honest, or just 'Amy' for a quick second - I will never agree that being vegan is an unhealthy choice. For one, being vegan is not always a protest against people that eat animal products; it's an individual choice that promotes eating more vegetables, fruits and lower fat alternatives for protein. 

And two - there will always be healthy vegans, and unhealthy vegans, because that's the way of the world. So if one more person tells me that being vegan is unhealthy - I'm going to list off all of the unhealthy, overweight people out there that are meat eaters. Plus, there was a cute dog at the festival (owned by the owners of our local vegetarian cafe) who was running around rampant begging for food and kept getting confused at why nobody would comply:

Our next adventures were spent with an American visitor, Errol, who is the owner of Blue Flame Tattoo in Raleigh, NC. Errol, like all of our past visitors, brought good times, a great attitude and an adventurous spirit  - as well as this guy, Chuck Norris:

Munday, Errol, Maria and I also enjoyed our very first official gondola ride in Venice!

(Yes, those are cans of beer. We chose to ride in class and represent only the upper most echelon of sophisticated ladies.)

More pics from the gondola ride:

We also took Errol to our popular Lago di Garda and the towns Desenzano and Sirmione, which required a boat ride, which required more beer.

(Piazza in Sirmione with Munday and Errol.)

(Our first pit stop was at this resort - beauuutiful - can't describe how amazing it was.)

(Cin Cin! on the boat.)

(Eat your heart out Titanic.)

(Italian card game on the train ride.)

The next thing that happened was July 4th. We had a small house party/dinner thing. I cooked burgers, both beef (Dad's famous recipe!) and bean based vegan burgers that were delicious. The crowd was pretty international to say the least, especially for an American holiday dinner: American, German, Australian, Scottish and, of course, Italians present. 

Munday speaking with a friend/customer and Luca, our neighbor and fellow tattoo artist.

Friends: Felicity (Aussie), and Paul, our Scotsman who very graciously assured that the fridge didn't run out of beer. ;)

More great friends, Stefania (hand raised) Ivan (neck tattoo), and of course, Mark, our local crony.

Poster children for the non-existing organization for People Who Never Want a Corporate Office Job - we're assuring our permanent positions proudly and happily. ;)

Maria, our roomie.

Well that's about it, that's what we've been up to and what's going on with us. Couldn't be happier but couldn't be more excited to come home! Looks like our departure date will be around December 10. We might make a few stops on our way back to the US so I'll be in touch about permanent dates. Our next trip is in three weeks, we're going to Prague, Czech Republic, for a music festival on July 24.

Oh, and here's a dumb joke for those of you that reached the end of my nearly endless blog:

A Texan farmer goes to Australia for a vacation. There he meets an Aussie farmer and gets talking. The Aussie shows off his big wheat field and the Texan says, "Oh! We have wheat fields that are at least twice as large".

Then they walk around the ranch a little, and the Aussie shows off his herd of cattle. The Texan immediately says, " We have longhorns that are at least twice as large as your cows".

The conversation has, meanwhile, almost died when the Texan sees a herd of kangaroos hopping through the field. He asks, "And what are those"? 

The Aussie replies with an incredulous look, "Don't you have any grasshoppers in Texas"?

xoxoxoxoxoxoxoxxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxoxo - Love and Miss to everyone!!